mammary tumors

[her.corner]

i have four girls and the only vet that will spay charges $180, which would completely deplete my vet fund. so i'm wondering if there are other things that might, at least somewhat, reduce the chance of getting a mammary tumor, such as keeping weight down, feeding certain foods, exercise or anything. or is it all just a combination of genes and hormones? also, is there an age at which the probability of getting a tumor increases? i think i've heard that the chances increase at around 18 months, but i'm not sure.

 

[fenshae]

They'll usually start cropping up around 18 months. $180 for a spay isn't terrible, and definitely worth it if you trust your vet. If your rats are young, I would start putting money aside and do the spays one at a time, it really helps a LOT, I think it reduces their chances down by like 90%.

There's been some studies that soy can help reduce tumors, so you can add a little tofu, soy yogurt, or soy nuts. But don't give them too much at once, it can tend to cause bloating

 

[jorats]

Spay is really the only thing that comes close to a guarantee and even then, it's not full proof but close enough.
There are studies that show limiting caloric intake, low fat, low sugar and adding soy to the diet could help deter tumour growth in non spayed rats. But nothing concrete, not like spaying.

 

[Dazzle87]

You're right to want to make sure you have money for emergencies, but you might want to consider doing them one at a time if you can save up for it. It is best to spay early but it helps even in rats that are spayed at an older age.

Healthy weight, exercise, and a healthy diet can help though, yes .

 

[victoria]

One thing that really contributes to mammary tumours is insufficient melatonin production. Ensuring your rats get at least 8 hours of complete darkness per day will ensure they produce enough and that will reduce the risk of mammary tumours and it's free. It's by far not nearly as effective as spaying but it may help a bit.